Confirmed with Link: Rangers re-sign Derek Stepan [2 years, $6.15M, $3.075M AAV]

[Drewbackatu*]

I'm not going to bash Stepan because I understand that it's his right to try and get what HE FEELS he is worth. I AM on the other hand going to bash the people acting like Stepan is a proven #1 Center in this league when in reality he has only played like one for one half season. I'm not as sold on D-Step as seemingly everyone else on this board is. I think he's a very smart and responsible player with vision and skill, but he hasn't proven that he can be THAT player consistently over 82 games and his previous point totals speak to that.

It's just ridiculous to see people acting like he's a bonafide #1 C when the only reason he was in that position last season is because our actual proven #1 C was playing like a piece of poop all season.

And I'm saying this while Step is one of my favorite players in the league.

Well done! Your words ring true and are spoken like an objective hockey fan instead of a Ranger's fan wearing rose colored glasses.

Stepan is and porbably will never be any better than a 2nd line center on a team that has significant depth at the center position(that doesn't include the Rangers).

Stepan, while a very good all around player, doesn't possess a lot of God given talent like many other centers in the league and I believe his game can only grow so much before he hits a ceiling in his development.

 

[haveandare]

This is rather simple:

1. Sather has no business talking about other GMs splurging on their players when he himself overspends constantly on old bums like Gomez and Richards.

2. Sather is actually correct in pursuing a bridge contract for Stepan since that is all we can afford. However, the reason for WHY that is all we can afford is because Sather stupidly did NOT Buy-out Richards.

Summary:
Sather is an idiot. End of discussion.

1. He's talking about splurging on RFAs, players that don't need to be splurged on. You're comparing his signing of UFAs, players who need to be splurged on to sign somewhere, to other teams' RFAs. Not really a 1 to 1 comparison at all. Sather is great with RFAs and obviously not so good with UFAs.

2. It's not an issue of what the team can afford. Step would get a bridge contract if the team had all the space in the world. It's how the Rangers work. They've done it with many other members of their core.

 

[RangerBoy]

Top 25 players under 25

4-PK Subban

9-Logan Couture

10. D Ryan McDonagh

New York Rangers, 24 years old
Previous rank: Not ranked

Here is a list of the forwards McDonagh has faced most frequently since his rookie campaign: Giroux, Tavares, Matt Moulson, Ilya Kovalchuk, Chris Kunitz, Scott Hartnell, Ovechkin, Eric Staal, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel.

Yet, in that time, only nine blueliners have been on the ice for fewer even-strength shots against per 60 minutes than McDonagh's 26.9.

11-Matt Duchene

14. C Derek Stepan

New York Rangers, 23 years old
Previous rank: Not ranked

Still a restricted free agent without a contract, New York's No. 1 center has done everything that has been asked of him: he has played top-line minutes (18:26 per game since his rookie season) against stiff competition, scored points (44 points in 48 games in 2013), and played physical (52 hits, 28 blocked shots and 34 takeaways in 2013) but smart (just six minor penalties all season).

http://insider.espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/9714062/nhl-25-25-rankings

 

[Raspewtin]

I'd rather pay a Norris winner 7 million long term than pay a question-mark 5 for 5-6 years.

why is this so hard to comprehend for some people.....

 

[RangerBoy]

Oates, who has kept a low profile throughout the negotiations, did not respond to a pair of email requests for a response, choosing to remain silent. The agent has been quoted just once through the process, that in an interview with The Post on Sept. 12.

The Post has learned little progress has been made in the standoff, though the parties did communicate over the last 48 hours. As previously reported, Stepan is seeking a deal in the neighborhood of $7 million over two years while the Rangers have offered approximately $6 million.

http://nypost.com/2013/09/24/rangers-gm-stepan-would-be-fool-to-sit-out/

 

[16 To Stanley*]

I know all that. We weren't talking about Stepan. We were talking about how much money a player loses when they are suspended.

Sorry for assuming the topic was, you know, about Stepan.

 

[Off Sides]

Who cares what group of players Sather splurged on, UFA, RFA, they were the wrong players to splurge on.

He's a supposed GM of a professional ice hockey team, you'd think he would have watched a couple of these guys he was spending 10's of millions of dollars on before he threw it at them. Either he did not watch them, had the wrong people watch them or just signed them for giggles, no matter how one cuts it he has been throwing money at the wrong players for like 12 years now.

Strangely enough that, along with all the other buyouts, rental mistakes, draft errors, seems to instill confidence in some people that he is actually handling the Stepan situation correctly.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

Giroux,coture duchene and stepan in their 19,20,21 year old years
Ya these guys are way better than him at the same age.
Joke

Giroux 19,20,21 year old

Gatineau Olympiques QMJHL 55 38 68 106 37 40 19 17 34 51 6
2007-08 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 2 0 0 0 0 -2 -- -- -- -- --
2008-09 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 42 9 18 27 14 10 6 2 3 5 6
2009-10 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 82 16 31 47 23 -9 23 10 11 21 4

NHL Totals .59 pts per game +1

coture 19,20,21 year old years
2008-09 Ottawa 67's OHL 62 39 48 87 46 27 7 3 7 10 6
2008-09 Worcester Sharks AHL 4 0 0 0 7 -1 12 2 1 3 11
2009-10 Worcester Sharks AHL 42 20 33 53 12 16 -- -- -- -- --
2009-10 San Jose Sharks NHL 25 5 4 9 6 4 15 4 0 4 4
2010-11 San Jose Sharks NHL 79 32 24 56 41 18 18 7 7 14 2

.625 pts per game +33

Duchene
2010-11 Colorado Avalanche NHL 80 27 40 67 33 -8 -- -- -- -- --
2011-12 Colorado Avalanche NHL 58 14 14 28 8 -11 -- -- -- -- --
2012-13 Colorado Avalanche NHL 47 17 26 43 12 -12 -- -- -- -- --
NHL Totals 266 82 111 193 69 6 0 3 3 0

.72 ppg -31

stepan
2010-11 New York Rangers NHL 82 21 24 45 20 8 5 0 0 0 2
2011-12 New York Rangers NHL 82 17 34 51 22 14 20 1 8 9 4
2012-13 New York Rangers NHL 48 18 26 44 12 25 12 4 1 5 2

.66 pts per game + 47

Where the hell are the playoff numbers for the above players? If you're going to spit out numbers to prove your point, please don't give us 1/2 the story by coming up with a case of selective amnesia.

Btw, it isn't all about doing a comparative analysis of their respective #'s for the 1st 3 years of their careers. The other 3 players(Giroux, Duchene, Couture) have way better skillsets than Stepan possesses and so they are and will always be much better players than Stepan going forward.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

If negotiations came to an impasse, and a trade option came up before an offer sheet scenario, what would NYR need from Buffalo? I assume start with Grigorenko and go from there. Just curious.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

You tried that "3rd line center on many teams" bit last season when he was in a slump, and then he went on to lead the team in scoring. You don't "just happen" to score at nearly a PPG clip. You don't "just happen" to develop a high-level two-way game. You don't "just happen" to increase your PPG production year over year as a 23 year old.

See, the problem is you think this kid elevated his game to a #1C level simply because there were no other options. That's delusional. We've had plenty of players that were our "#1C by default" over the years, and none of them have had the impact or the success that Stepan has. It's typical "everyone else has it better" Rangers' fan bitterness. Nothing more.

I'll start taking your word on Stepan when he stops blowing the doors off your 'scouting report' each season.

Once again yet another Ranger's fan with rose colored glasses and a case of selective amnesia.
Stepan's playoff production(or lack there of) blows holes in any dopey argument you can come up with in support of him.

The guy has flat out sucked in the playoffs and please don't hand me the sorry excuse that the whole entire team "forgets" how to score in the playoffs when the going gets tough!

 

[NYRKindms]

Who cares what group of players Sather splurged on, UFA, RFA, they were the wrong players to splurge on.

He's a supposed GM of a professional ice hockey team, you'd think he would have watched a couple of these guys he was spending 10's of millions of dollars on before he threw it at them. Either he did not watch them, had the wrong people watch them or just signed them for giggles, no matter how one cuts it he has been throwing money at the wrong players for like 12 years now.

Strangely enough that, along with all the other buyouts, rental mistakes, draft errors, seems to instill confidence in some people that he is actually handling the Stepan situation correctly.

I had a page written but what you said it in a paragraph.

Keeps Richards to put the team in tough positions this year
Doesn't get Hank extended during the offseason and now hank says he may not discuss during the season
Stepan
etc etc

And that is just this summer. Add in the terrible talent evals over the years. The quick dismissal of the coach ( I agree with getting rid of Torts but Sather seemed caught off guard by it and reacted not a planned decision) He has had no cap and no cup and he has had a cap and no cup. He just needs to go away at this point.

 

[Raspewtin]

Where the hell are the playoff numbers for the above players? If you're going to spit out numbers to prove your point, please don't give us 1/2 the story by coming up with a case of selective amnesia.

Btw, it isn't all about doing a comparative analysis of their respective #'s for the 1st 3 years of their careers. The other 3 players(Giroux, Duchene, Couture) have way better skillsets than Stepan possesses and so they are and will always be much better players than Stepan going forward.

I hate this argument. It's like saying Chris Kreider will be definitely be a better player than Ryan Callahan, just because he's got more natural skill. On ice performance factors so much more than just skill, Stepan is a smarter player than Giroux and Duchene in my opinion. So more often than not you'll see Stepan make the solid play that gets the goal, where as Giroux or Duchene will dangle through everyone for the setup. They're both 1 point. And in the end, points are what matters. I don't think he'll ever be a 90-100 PT player like Giroux, but the constant reassertion that because he doesn't have other world skill he'll never be a #1 center is just a bad argument.

Once again yet another Ranger's fan with rose colored glasses and a case of selective amnesia.
Stepan's playoff production(or lack there of) blows holes in any dopey argument you can come up with in support of him.

The guy has flat out sucked in the playoffs and please don't hand me the sorry excuse that the whole entire team "forgets" how to score in the playoffs when the going gets tough!

while it's not an end-all excuse, it's definitely a factor. you can't just ignore it. should we trade Nash? he sucked in the playoffs.

 

[haveandare]

why is this so hard to comprehend for some people.....

I have no idea. It's just not worth the huge risk of giving those question-marks big deals. The only way the team can win is if the player takes off big time. With a bridge, the worst outcomes are a player bombs and you're out of the contract in two years, or the player takes off and you end up with a little less cap space and a way better player on lockdown for the prime of their career.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

...

Who cares what group of players Sather splurged on, UFA, RFA, they were the wrong players to splurge on.

He's a supposed GM of a professional ice hockey team, you'd think he would have watched a couple of these guys he was spending 10's of millions of dollars on before he threw it at them. Either he did not watch them, had the wrong people watch them or just signed them for giggles, no matter how one cuts it he has been throwing money at the wrong players for like 12 years now.

Strangely enough that, along with all the other buyouts, rental mistakes, draft errors, seems to instill confidence in some people that he is actually handling the Stepan situation correctly.

That!

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

...

1. He's talking about splurging on RFAs, players that don't need to be splurged on. You're comparing his signing of UFAs, players who need to be splurged on to sign somewhere, to other teams' RFAs. Not really a 1 to 1 comparison at all. Sather is great with RFAs and obviously not so good with UFAs.

2. It's not an issue of what the team can afford. Step would get a bridge contract if the team had all the space in the world. It's how the Rangers work. They've done it with many other members of their core.

Take a look at the post I quoted above by Off Sides.

I am well aware of difference between UFA and RFA. I was not born yesterday.

My point was Sather has no right to talk about RFAs or UFAs or ANY player or manager of a team. He has NO clue about signing UFAs, he is a lazy bum who overpays for UFAs and then tries to underpay for his own RFAs.

Richards should have been bought out and then we would not be in this mess...oh and we would be able to sign some decent free agents instead of BENOIT POULIOT!

 

[Raspewtin]

Take a look at the post I quoted above by Off Sides.

I am well aware of difference between UFA and RFA. I was not born yesterday.

My point was Sather has no right to talk about RFAs or UFAs or ANY player or manager of a team. He has NO clue about signing UFAs, he is a lazy bum who overpays for UFAs and then tries to underpay for his own RFAs.

Richards should have been bought out and then we would not be in this mess...oh and we would be able to sign some decent free agents instead of BENOIT POULIOT!

this post is just pure garbage

He's our GM, he can talk about whatever he wants and negotiate however he wants. Not great with UFAs but is excellent with RFAs. I'm not even disputing that, it's borderline fact. And you imply that he underpays RFAs as a direct consequence of his UFAs. Yeah, he really sunk this team with his signing of :gasp: DOMINIC MOORE!!! Oh, the agony of a 1 million dollar contract for one year. Give me a ****ing break. Richards not being bought ouT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH STEPAN. NOTHING. ZILCH. How many god damn posters on this board have made that point and people still don't get it? He was getting a bridge contract no matter what. and the Pouliot signing was great, prob my favorite of the offseason. What decent free agents did you crave? David Clarkson? ffs.

 

[NYRKindms]

this post is just pure garbage

He's our GM, he can talk about whatever he wants and negotiate however he wants. Not great with UFAs but is excellent with RFAs. I'm not even disputing that, it's borderline fact. And you imply that he underpays RFAs as a direct consequence of his UFAs. Yeah, he really sunk this team with his signing of :gasp: DOMINIC MOORE!!! Oh, the agony of a 1 million dollar contract for one year. Give me a ****ing break. Richards not being bought ouT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH STEPAN. NOTHING. ZILCH. How many god damn posters on this board have made that point and people still don't get it? He was getting a bridge contract no matter what. and the Pouliot signing was great, prob my favorite of the offseason. What decent free agents did you crave? David Clarkson? ffs.

While it is true Stepan would have gotten a bridge deal you seem to think that Sather would dig his heels in over 500k/per regardless. I as well as other don't believe that to be the case. If he hadn't mismanaged the cap again the extra 500k Stepan wants would be there and the team wouldn't have to move players around or use LTIR etc to make that happen nor would the team have a razor thin cap to work with in the first place.

People keep saying it has nothing to do with Brad. It has everything to do with Brad, the contract that Sather signed him for and the available $$ to field a team. It might be more palatable if Brad was actually performing up to his contract but he isn't and the guy who had to shoulder that extra work was the same guy Sather is arguing over 500k with.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

...

this post is just pure garbage

He's our GM, he can talk about whatever he wants and negotiate however he wants. Not great with UFAs but is excellent with RFAs. I'm not even disputing that, it's borderline fact. And you imply that he underpays RFAs as a direct consequence of his UFAs. Yeah, he really sunk this team with his signing of :gasp: DOMINIC MOORE!!! Oh, the agony of a 1 million dollar contract for one year. Give me a ****ing break. Richards not being bought ouT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH STEPAN. NOTHING. ZILCH. How many god damn posters on this board have made that point and people still don't get it? He was getting a bridge contract no matter what. and the Pouliot signing was great, prob my favorite of the offseason. What decent free agents did you crave? David Clarkson? ffs.

1. Being "excellent" (more like ok) with RFA's but horrible with UFAs does not make Sather a good GM. I would say he is one of the worst GMs in the league...not far behind the Calgary GM

2. I never implied that he underpays RFAs as a direct consequence of his UFAs. What I said is that he does not know how to manage the cap and overspends blindly on older players who are way past their prime.

3. Moore - what exactly does he have to do with GOMEZ, RICHARDS, NASH, REDDEN, etc? Absolutely nothing. I can promise you that if Sather had the cap room this year (lets say $10 mill or so) to spend, he would have signed another older, over his prime player. I can make a nice bet on that. Sadly for him, he didnt have the cap room so he had to resort to guys like Moore.

4. "Richards being bought out has nothing to do with Stepan" - Are you the GM of the Rangers? DIDNT think so. So you dont know that. I agree that Stepan would get a bridge contract whether Richards was bought out or not. However, I disagree that it would drag out like this. If Richards were bought out, we would have a ton of cap room and so Sather would not have to argue over a few hundred thousand with him.

5. Pouliot - Are you sure you are not related to Sather? Cause if you are not, then you must just be blind when you watch hockey. Pouliot did ok last season due to getting some top 6 ice time(not all year, but at times). He is a very limited player and very inconsistent. The contract we gave him is ok, but he will not add much to this team.

6. And now to the most important part:
Stop kissing Sather's ass! He has the Dolans for that!

 

[haveandare]

Take a look at the post I quoted above by Off Sides.

I am well aware of difference between UFA and RFA. I was not born yesterday.

My point was Sather has no right to talk about RFAs or UFAs or ANY player or manager of a team. He has NO clue about signing UFAs, he is a lazy bum who overpays for UFAs and then tries to underpay for his own RFAs.

Richards should have been bought out and then we would not be in this mess...oh and we would be able to sign some decent free agents instead of BENOIT POULIOT!

Off Sides' post says what exactly? Sather sucks. Every decisions he's ever made sucks. Therefore, what he's doing to Step is wrong solely because he's the one doing it. Never mind that there are tons of teams who's GMs actually suck, and who would love to be regularly making the playoffs and advancing past the first round. Never mind that Gaborik was a great UFA signing, who carried the team on his back for years and then was traded for a fantastic package of useful players going forward. Never mind that most of the terrible UFAs save for Richards were signed years and years ago, and were gotten rid of for great players of without any lasting negative impact.

You say you're well aware of the difference, but the rest of the post doesn't make it seem that way.

You NEED to overpay UFAs and you can, and in my opinion should, underpay RFAs. It's not an issue of any particular GM being stupid or being "lazy," whatever that can possibly mean in terms of negotiations, it's the difference between the rules of UFA and RFA. UFAs have all the leverage, RFAs have none of it. UFAs can make demands, RFAs can't.

Again, if Richards was bought out, Sather would probably still be treating Step the same way - and with good reason. You don't overpay RFAs. It's unnecessary and it's risky. 3 - 3.5 for 2 is perfectly fair for Stepan and I really don't think 200-500k is the difference between being underpaid and being fairly compensated.

Also, Pouliot has looked great so far, and is a fine player for the role he's going to be put in. You're saying Sather overpays UFAs, and then a few sentences later you're saying that he should go after "decent free agents." Guess what? Decent free agents get overpaid. That's the nature of free agency.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

...

While it is true Stepan would have gotten a bridge deal you seem to think that Sather would dig his heels in over 500k/per regardless. I as well as other don't believe that to be the case. If he hadn't mismanaged the cap again the extra 500k Stepan wants would be there and the team wouldn't have to move players around or use LTIR etc to make that happen nor would the team have a razor thin cap to work with in the first place.

People keep saying it has nothing to do with Brad. It has everything to do with Brad, the contract that Sather signed him for and the available $$ to field a team. It might be more palatable if Brad was actually performing up to his contract but he isn't and the guy who had to shoulder that extra work was the same guy Sather is arguing over 500k with.

Exactly what I said above actually! Thanks NYRKindms!

 

[Raspewtin]

While it is true Stepan would have gotten a bridge deal you seem to think that Sather would dig his heels in over 500k/per regardless. I as well as other don't believe that to be the case. If he hadn't mismanaged the cap again the extra 500k Stepan wants would be there and the team wouldn't have to move players around or use LTIR etc to make that happen nor would the team have a razor thin cap to work with in the first place.

People keep saying it has nothing to do with Brad. It has everything to do with Brad, the contract that Sather signed him for and the available $$ to field a team. It might be more palatable if Brad was actually performing up to his contract but he isn't and the guy who had to shoulder that extra work was the same guy Sather is arguing over 500k with.

yes. Sather would do that. He needs to set precedent for all the RFAs he's going to have to deal with this year (a lot.) especially the handful with no arb rights. Stepan, again, has no leverage what so ever. Sather isn't going to be pushed around by a 23 year old with barely any say in negotiations. And I guess that Richards playing like garbo can be a negotiating tactic, but that just creates bad blood criticizing another player to bring your contract up. I highly doubt Oates would be stupid enough to say that. And you also fail to realize how quickly Sather can dump cap space. If he really needs it, he'd trade Boyle, waive Pyatt, etc. Its not hard to shed this extra cap space, and if it must be done it will be. Sather isn't a 24 year old college kid in his first management class, he's a hardened veteran GM that knows what he's going to do. I'd put his great cap management at the top of his achievements here actually.

 

[NYRKindms]

yes. Sather would do that. He needs to set precedent for all the RFAs he's going to have to deal with this year (a lot.) especially the handful with no arb rights. Stepan, again, has no leverage what so ever. Sather isn't going to be pushed around by a 23 year old with barely any say in negotiations. And I guess that Richards playing like garbo can be a negotiating tactic, but that just creates bad blood criticizing another player to bring your contract up. I highly doubt Oates would be stupid enough to say that. And you also fail to realize how quickly Sather can dump cap space. If he really needs it, he'd trade Boyle, waive Pyatt, etc. Its not hard to shed this extra cap space, and if it must be done it will be. Sather isn't a 24 year old college kid in his first management class, he's a hardened veteran GM that knows what he's going to do. I'd put his great cap management at the top of his achievements here actually.

Hilarious.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Hilarious.

Care to explain why? Hes actually right on point. Sather may be awful at many things. Cap management is not one of them. He may dig us in a whole but also gets us out just that quickly. The only thing I have faith in him regarding.

 

[Boruto]

I didn't read everything everyone said but I think people keep forgetting the precedence that is being set in the Stepan deal. Agents work like lawyers in these situations with precedence. If Stepan and Oates are running with the line that if so and so got however much at a similar point, so should we.

Now imagine if Sather yields, maybe not in the $$ on the contract per se, but "loses" the negotiation battle by giving way to Stepan first, it'll set a precedence that's far more applicable than any comparable for all the UFAs next season and RFAs. EVEN IF Slats gets it done at $3.25M, if he's the one that cracks first, he's lost an important battle in the overall battle.

If a guy with no leverage can bulldoze his way through, hey, how about a guy with arb rights? Hey, how about a freaking UFA? Call Glen irresponsible if you will, the reality of the cap is something that every team deals with. Glen has been very good with signing RFAs so even with some of his bad contract, he's no better or worse than other GMs. This is him being fiscally responsible and paying mind to the reality of cap and the hoard of UFAs next season.

Glen cannot lose this. If players believe they can get an extra 5% by playing hard ball and stalemating (as UFAs), that 5% is going to be $2M extra in cap once we're done signing players next season and that 5% figure is modest.

Glen cannot lose. Give the peasants a whiff of the better life they can have, the uprising will be inevitable.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

...

Off Sides' post says what exactly? Sather sucks. Every decisions he's ever made sucks. Therefore, what he's doing to Step is wrong solely because he's the one doing it. Never mind that there are tons of teams who's GMs actually suck, and who would love to be regularly making the playoffs and advancing past the first round. Never mind that Gaborik was a great UFA signing, who carried the team on his back for years and then was traded for a fantastic package of useful players going forward. Never mind that most of the terrible UFAs save for Richards were signed years and years ago, and were gotten rid of for great players of without any lasting negative impact.

You say you're well aware of the difference, but the rest of the post doesn't make it seem that way.

You NEED to overpay UFAs and you can, and in my opinion should, underpay RFAs. It's not an issue of any particular GM being stupid or being "lazy," whatever that can possibly mean in terms of negotiations, it's the difference between the rules of UFA and RFA. UFAs have all the leverage, RFAs have none of it. UFAs can make demands, RFAs can't.

Again, if Richards was bought out, Sather would probably still be treating Step the same way - and with good reason. You don't overpay RFAs. It's unnecessary and it's risky. 3 - 3.5 for 2 is perfectly fair for Stepan and I really don't think 200-500k is the difference between being underpaid and being fairly compensated.

Also, Pouliot has looked great so far, and is a fine player for the role he's going to be put in. You're saying Sather overpays UFAs, and then a few sentences later you're saying that he should go after "decent free agents." Guess what? Decent free agents get overpaid. That's the nature of free agency.

1. I'm not blindly criticizing SATHER. I do like how he handles RFAs at times. What I dont like about this situation is him going out and calling out Stepan for not being "Wise" enough to agree to his offers. That is rude and on par with Torts saying Hagelin "sucks" on the PP. If you are negotiating with your own players, it should be civil...this is not an arbitration case even.

2. UFAs will always cost more. Its all about which UFAs you decide to pay up for. If you pay too much for a 30 - 35 year old, you are stupid. NO way around it. If you slightly overpay for a 28 or 29 year old, who still has a lot left in the tank, thats not too bad. Richards was 31 when we signed him and clearly has lost a step. Redden was around 32 when we signed him.
The lenght of the contract also matters. Richards got a stupid 9 YEAR DEAL! Redden got a stupid 7 YEAR DEAL I believe!


3. Decent Free Agents - Brunner(27 years of age) for 2 years at $2.5 is low risk, how reward. Raymond(28 years of age) for 1 year at $1 is low risk, high reward. Those kinds of signings are possible. I will take either over Pouliot and Moore...and definitely over Richards and Redden!